Mike from Hamilton's Profile
Dining options near Exhibition grounds
Inglorious - just a nice relaxed place where we can enjoy a good meal...
Meowmix - given that we both have worked the "fair circuit" across Canada and the US, the idea of eating fried crap in dingy surroundings does not appeal to us...after a long hot day of performing for folks we would prefer to sit in a nice air-conditioned restaurant and have a decent meal served to us...
Dining options near Exhibition grounds
I have a fellow foodie friend from out of town who is performing at the Ex this year and was going to take her out for dinner Sunday night.
I am looking for a place nearby the Ex grounds (Queen W? King W?) that would provide a low-key, interesting dining experience.
The key is that it has to be open on a Sunday night and have a service around 5ish...and the two of us will be in suitably "Ex" (ie casual clothing) attire...
Thoughts, suggestions?
Best Thing You Ever Ate - Toronto
The number one best thing I have ever eaten in Toronto was:
Perigee's Foie Gras Cheesecake with parmesan cheese crust.
Thin sliver (about the width of a cigarette at it's widest) offered by Pat Riley to my dining mate and I as a taste of pure decadence in between courses. It was crazy rich and good.
Hamilton knife shops
You could try Hamilton Store Fixtures on King St. W. at Caroline or Chris' Store Fixtures on James St. North. They both have a decent selection of knives at fair prices (they are both restaurant/store suppliers and their products are quite good).
Other recommendation (along the Chinatown variation) would be B&T (Ben Thanh) grocery on on Cannon at Park.
'QUATRE-FOODIES' trying out 'QUATREFOIL' ( long with photos )
Charles, I sadly beg to differ.
Dundas/Hamilton is NOT a culinary wasteland. Granted the fine dining choices are extremely limited (BUT if you have read Charles' prior postings, so are Toronto's). However there is a growing food culture in this city that focuses on locavore dining and respecting the ingredients or else local family-run establishments that focus on a specific ethnicity or culinary style.
Earth to Table (locavore dining at its best - pizzas and home made baked goods)
Ancaster Old Mill (like the Toronto Old Mill, but done using seasonal, local ingredients, in a valley setting)
Chucks Burger Bar (burgers, fries and poutine done right and with a wide variety of toppings, sadly the service is rarely up to par with the food)
Cheese Shoppe on Locke (great sandwiches made from artisanal cheeses and meats)
Karolina's (Polish family style dining)
Mex-I-Can (Mexican streetfood in an authentic atmosphere)
Chicago Style Pizza Shack (self-explanitory)
Capri (old school red sauce Italian)
Harbour Diner (diner food done right in a comfortable eclectic atmosphere)
Papa Leos (breakfast and lunch done the way Leo wants it done - which is extremely good)
Red Hill Coffee Trade (fair trade coffees roasted locally, guaranteeing fresh, high quality brews)
Detour Coffee (fair trade coffees roasted locally, guaranteeing fresh, high quality brews)
Matsu Sushi (best sushi/Japanese in Hamilton area that definitely goes toe-to-toe with many of Toronto's better sushi places)
The food truck/community shares culture:
Gorilla Cheese (grilled cheese done with artisanal cheeses and breads)
Cupcake Diner (incredible cupcakes brought to you)
Cupcake and Loaf (community share baked goods, focusing on organic, gluten-free, healthy)
Plan B Organic Farms (community shared produce)
Not to mention the Hamilton Farmer's Market, the Ottawa St. Farmer's Market and the smaller farmer's market.
Hamilton may not have a plethora of 3-4 star dining establishments, but "culinary wasteland" it is not. Sorry Charles, I have to call you on this assessment. Perhaps you need to venture further than the QEW and 403...
-----
Harbour Diner
488 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8L1J1, CA
Chicago Style Pizza Shack
534 Upper Sherman Ave, Hamilton, ON L8V3M1, CA
Ancaster Mill - opinions?
The food there ranges from a very good upscale Sunday Brunch fare (their Sunday Buffet Brunch) to outstanding (their regular menu and their Sunday Supper). They have a focus on seasonal and local fare and the menus vary as the seasons change. It's a beautiful setting and quite relaxed and the chefs truly respect their ingredients and highlight the flavours intrinsic in them. It's a nice place for a relaxing meal out.
HAMILTON HAS A NEW PIZZA KING - PIZZA NA ROMA
Bread Bar is a thin crust pizza, usually quite crisp on the bottom with artisanal toppings.
Good Food in Hamilton?!
The burger place beside Locke St. Bagel (actually beside the Cheese Shoppe on Locke) is "Chuck's Burger Bar" and is owned and operated by the same folks responsible for the Harbour Diner. I have reviewed it in the following link:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/775155
I was there again on the weekend and, as usual, it was jam packed. The service chaos is improving somewhat and the food remains quality!
-----
Harbour Diner
488 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8L1J1, CA
Hamilton Food and Drink Fest - early April 2011 - worth it?
And it is Rolly Rockets at King West and Locke St. N. Good barbecue indeed, although I still prefer Camp 31 in Paris. Further down Locke St. S. are some good dining options including Earth to Table Bread Bar (run by the owners of The Ancaster Old Mill and Spencers on the Waterfront, pizza, salads and baked goods - they have a good fried chicken dinner on Monday Nights) Chuck's Burger Bar (run by the owners of the Harbour Diner) and the Cheese Shoppe on Locke who make wonderful sandwiches from their artisanal cheeses and meats!
-----
Harbour Diner
488 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8L1J1, CA
Chuck's Burger Bar
194 Locke St S, Hamilton, ON , CA
Hamilton Food and Drink Fest - early April 2011 - worth it?
Actually the Art Crawl runs all year round - the second Friday of each month. In fact some of the better crawls are in the winter as they tend to be less crowded and you can actually get to talk to the artists/curators...
Places to check on James St. N. when attending the art crawl include The Mulberry St. Coffee House (coffee, organic, vegetarian and gluten free snacks), The Brain (interesting local micro brews and a great cheese platter made with whatever is good in stock), Mex-I-Can (traditional Mexican foods, music and beer), plus there are the little Italian and Portuguese cafes and restaurants (Ventura Seafood, Acclamation) and a number of decent Asian choices.
Or if you want to walk further north (towards the lake in Hamilton), there is the Harbour Diner, they're usually jammed before the Art Crawl these days.
The Supercrawl in September is a different event on James St. N. and this year will apparently have Broken Social Scene as the headliner. There is also Open Streets Hamilton which is more of a community festival on James North. These events are usually packed (Supercrawl had 20,000 last year) and gives a good sampling of what this growing area of downtown Hamilton has to offer.
-----
Harbour Diner
488 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8L1J1, CA
The owners of the Harbour Diner in Hamilton are at it again!
I'd suggest a chowmeet, but the place is too small...
The owners of the Harbour Diner in Hamilton are at it again!
Welcome to the hood Lyle! There is a chowgroup that met a few times a couple of years ago, but it sort of fell apart due to life happening. I'm beginning to get the urge to arrange something soon!
Check out the group here:
https://groups.google.com/group/chowhound-hamilton?hl=en
I've been to Buckeye's BBQ and enjoyed it - it helps that I am a few blocks from them. Rolly Rockets is good and Camp 31 in Paris is the "gold standard" for local BBQ in the area of the Hammer.
The owners of the Harbour Diner in Hamilton are at it again!
It has been rumoured that Chris and Erin of the Harbour Diner were opening a new place on Locke St. S. in Hamilton.
I can confirm that these rumours are true and that Chuck's Burger Bar is now open and they are continuing the high quality food at decent prices. The space is a narrow,modern room and set up like a small bar with tall stools and tables (sitting 2-4 each max). There is a bar with 7-8 stools and space for seating for three in the front window.
This is a small space and fills up quickly. The feel is halfway between a bar and an upscale takeout. With lots of hard surfaces (concrete bar, glass tile behind the bar, hardwood floors and tables), it gets loud quickly. Chris has once again chosen the music for the place and, like the Harbour Diner, it's an eclectic mix.
This is a place where staying and mingling could be fun, but does not necessarily suit the small place, tall stools and crowd. Think of it as an upscale take out - yes they do accept orders over the phone.
Service is friendly, however seems to run towards the chaotic as the waitresses did not seem to have a set plan on how to serve the tables. There were conversations about what tables had been served and which needed to be served. However I was served quickly, given my menu and my order was taken promptly. It is clear that this is a new restaurant as there is currently no cash register (waitresses were using their iPhones to calculate bills) and they are still waiting on their liquor license. I don't think there is a debit/credit machine yet and cash seemed to be preferred, although I could be wrong.
Chuck's Burger Bar is exactly what the name says - a bar that serves burgers of different varieties, along with fries, side salads and poutine.
They make fresh hand-pattied burgers and sliders made from the following meats:
- Angus Beef
- Venison
- Bison
- Lamb
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Veggie
- Ground Bacon
They serve both regular fries and sweet potato fries and poutines made from both types.
They are also serving the Harbour Diner's missing (and much lamented) turkey wings (1 kg of wings served with your choice of sauce ranging from Lime Buffalo to Vinadloo)...
For the more health conscious, they do have three salads (a green salad similar to the Harbour Diner house salad, Ceasar Salad and Greek Salad).
The buns are obviously from a local bakery (I wasn't able to talk to Chris about their provenance) and they have a HUGE selection of toppings ranging from fresh veggies, to pulled pork, chili, the Harbour Diner Slaw and various "regular" and "artisan" (no extra charge) cheese selections. Chuck's is two doors down the street from the Cheese Shoppe on Locke, so the cheese selection is pretty darned good!
Drinks currently are water, both still and sparkling, various soft drinks (including specialty sodas) and juices.
I ordered the Turkey, pear and brie burger, which came with a nice amount of char from the grill on it. It was topped with two slices of pear, brie, cranberry relish, lettuce, roma tomato and a spicy mayonnaise. It is normally served on a plate with fresh cut fries (unlike the Harbour Diner, who bakes their wedges, these are proper fries), but I had the garden salad as my side. The garden salad was what I have had at the Harbour Diner over the past few years, so I knew it would be fresh and tasty (mixed baby greens, roma tomatoes, red onions and pepperoncini with a balsamic house dressing).
The burger was nicely spiced, perfectly cooked and juicy. The toppings were a nice accompaniment and the cranberry relish was a nice sweet/tart accompaniment. Everything was fresh and the burger was piping hot.
The only missteps were the rather uncoordinated service and the fact that they had not anticipated their immediate popularity over the prior week and they were sold out of the Lamb, Venison and veggie burgers.
-----
Harbour Diner
488 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8L1J1, CA
Chuck's Burger Bar
194 Locke St S, Hamilton, ON , CA
Hamilton Lunch?
Both options are fine and have items that are "kid friendly" without having a kid's menu, however not close to Hamilton Place (unless you count a short drive "close").
If the children involved are adventurous, I would also recommend Mex-I-Can on James St. North for Mexican street-style food, just prepare to take a little time for this. La Luna further up King St. (at Queen) is also a good option for Lebanese/Mediterranean food - kebabs and falafels are always a hit with my nieces.
Jackson Square, across the street from Hamilton Place is pretty much a Chow dead zone, unless you want to endure the loud music, uncomfortable chairs, shoddy service and mediocre to crummy food of the Honest Lawyer to keep the kids occupied with their video games, bowling alley and basketball hoop...
-----
Honest Lawyer Restaurant
141 George St, Ottawa, ON K1N5W5, CA
La Luna Restaurant
834 Brant St, Burlington, ON L7R2J5, CA
Weekday Lunch somewhere between Niagara on the Lake and Burlington
Harbour Diner fits the bill, NoTL to Burlington is a wide area...good food, friendly service.
However it is closed on Mondays...
-----
Harbour Diner
488 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8L1J1, CA
Oaxaca cheese
Thanks Kagemusha, I was about ready to say the same. Oaxaca is more like a mozzarella/fresh cheese that is stringy...
Is there any good place in Hamilton ON for a business lunch?
The Sirloin Cellar is a favourite spot for many business lunches, however may be a little "old school" for your liking.
Seven Windows on Aberdeen at Dundurn might be an idea for you.
Acclamation on James North is an option and focuses on a tapas style menu with Portuguese and French flair.
Quatrefoil in Dundas is a nice, quiet option...
-----
Sirloin Cellar
14 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8R, CA
Seven Windows
432 Aberdeen Ave, Hamilton, ON L8P2S2, CA
lunch ideas in Hamilton?
Harbour Diner on James St. N. is always great.
Earth to Table on Locke St. has a nice variety of pizzas and yummy baked goods.
Mex-I-Can on James St. N. for as close to authentic (and very casual) Mexican street food in Hamilton.
The Augusta House on Augusta for upscale pub ("gastropub") food.
Wass Ethiopian on James St. S. for delicious Ethiopian
-----
Harbour Diner
488 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8L1J1, CA
Layover in Toronto on New Year's Eve - need help please!
How long is your layover? Are we talking an overnight stay? Pearson Airport (Toronto's international airport) is not exactly downtown...
Mezzaluna and board in Toronto (downtown)
Hi folks,
As I'm going to be in the city and have some sparish time tomorrow while wandering downtown, I'd figure I'd get some Christmas shopping done early.
I'm looking for a mezzaluna and board, where would be a good location to purchase a quality one?
Thanks in advance!
Chicago Pizza Shack (Hamilton)
Taxi from Hamilton to Toronto is approximatel 80-120 dollars depending on traffic! Plus the cost of the pizza, you'd better be wanting some pizza! They open at 4:30 pm 7 days a week for those considering on making the drive.
Chicago Pizza Shack (Hamilton)
They deliver to Hamilton only...my house (near Ivor Wynne Stadium) is the extreme north east of where they deliver! You'd have to drive to Hamilton or the the (non-affiliated) Chicago Style Pizza place in Maple for your fix.
McFeeter's Honey Butter
Denninger's often stocks honey butter in the Hamilton/Burlington/Guelph area...
are there any gourmet/boutique food shop in Durham Region?
The Buckingham Meats in North Oshawa (on Buckingham off of Simcoe N). also has a good variety of spices and hot sauces...
Mainly Cheese has a variety of German/European foods...
-----
Buckingham Meat
28 Buckingham Ave, Oshawa, ON L1G, CA
Where can I get Faygo in Toronto?
If you come to Hamilton, it's available in most sketchy dollar and convenience stores - many of them also advertise that they have it - I saw a Big Bear convenience that had 2L bottles for 69 cents a few weeks back...a bit closer than driving to Detroit for carbonated high fructose corn syrup and FD&C Red #7...
Their Root Beer IS tasty, I have to admit...
Good Food in Hamilton?!
This has been covered quite a bit in the past, you may wish to use the search utility here on Chow:
My usual places (in order of preference) are The Harbour Diner, Mexi-I-Can, Earth to Table, La Luna, Chicago Style and Karolinas
Harbour Diner (Diner food done right, great weekend brunches and their specials are usually pretty good)
B&T (Thai, Vietnamese, Pho)
Le Chinois (Chinese, the location on King East is the most consistent location, although I've had takeout from their Upper Wentworth/Limeridge location).
August 8 (Dim Sum and Sushi)
Matsu Sushi (Dundas)
Mex-I-Can (Mexican street foods)
Karolina's (Polish)
Chicago Style Pizza Shack (self-explanatory and some of the best "red sauce" style Italian)
Capri (Italian)
The Sirloin Cellar (Old school steak house)
Wild Orchid
Ventura (Portuguese, specializing in seafood)
My Dog Joe (Coffee House)
Mulberry St. Coffee House
Detour Coffee
Earth To Table (baked goods and artisanal pizzas)
Locke St. Bakery (bagels done right)
Sapporo (AYCE Sushi)
Black Forest Inn (German food, killer schnitzels)
Waxy's Deli
LoPresti's (Fine Dining)
Boos Bistro
In Burlington:
Pepperwood Bistro
-----
Harbour Diner
488 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8L1J1, CA
Sirloin Cellar
14 James St N, Hamilton, ON L8R, CA
Chicago Style Pizza Shack
534 Upper Sherman Ave, Hamilton, ON L8V3M1, CA
Worst in Toronto
I love how all the people who have said anything positive about Mandarin, seem to focus on the quality of their prime rib as opposed to their Mandarin/Cantonese/Szechwan cuisine...
What does Toronto do best?
Please note I didn't recommend it as a uniquely Toronto experience - I wouldn't recommend anyone go to a kaiseiki restaurant as a uniquely "Canadian Experience" - however when in Kyoto....
Nor would I recommend any of the Cantonese, or Pho or Dim Sum restaurants on Spadina. Although the cheap Banh Mi may be an idea...
I'm just pointing out the fact that so many people seem to be intent on slagging what this city DOES have and complaining about what other areas do better instead of pointing out the actual good things the city has to offer - again this seems to be a uniquely Toronto experience.
I do however recommend walking through Kensington Market and taking your chances with some of the little places there, or wandering through St. Lawrence Market and trying what looks interesting there, including a peameal sandwich at Carousel.
-----
St. Lawrence Market
92 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5E, CA
What does Toronto do best?
Agreed that Hashimoto is more expensive than a Ryokan in Japan, but then again, the ingredients are readily available there and do not require to be shipped halfway around the world. Is it a nice dining experience unlike what most folks exposed only to western culture have experienced? Yes. Is it worth the $300+ price tag? Possible if you haven't experienced proper kaiseiki dining before. Did I enjoy my meal at the Mississauga location? Yes because it brought back memories of my time in Japan, but again, it didn't blow me away. YMMV.
Please remember that the original poster asked about what is GOOD in Toronto and not why Toronto is lesser than other restaurants around the world. Granted comparing Toronto (a city of 5.5 million) will have fewer and less varied dining options than NYC (a city of 8.4 million). If the poster was asking about what Ryokan to visit while in Japan, I'm sure (s)he would ask in the appropriate board.
The original poster is asking about uniquely "Toronto" experiences and is getting one before (s)he even gets here - our innate ability to slag our own city and a little bit of the Torontonian Inferiority complex.
Anyways to answer the question:
Streetfood - limited variety as our health laws have only recently loosened beyond hot dogs and sausages and the other vendors were hamstrung into tight contracts which limited their options (and ultimately the bulk of the offerings sucked). Uniquely Toronto streetfood would be Don Juan's fries in front of the convention center, or (if the cart is still around) an Ernie Dog from in front of Ryerson on Gould St.
Restaurants?
Canoe - a Canadian twist on traditional fare
Black Hoof/Black Hoof Cafe - nose to tail dining done right
Barberians - Steak done old school in a Canadian and Toronto institution.
Coffee Mill - Hungarian/European food and iced cappucino done right.
Poutini/Smoke's Poutinerie - Canadian classic poutine, fries, cheese curd and gravy
-----
Coffee Mill
99 Yorkville, Toronto, ON M5R3K5, CA
Barberian's
7 Elm St, Toronto, ON M5G1H1, CA
Recommendations needed for restaurants in Hamilton and area?
Fourth! Quatrefoil is a lovely place for an upscale lunch.
